Kids say the darndest things
by CSM
Summary: Future Fic. Alexis' child tells her teacher that her grandmother is having a baby. Teacher thinks she is mistaken and checks.


**This was a prompt someone sent me ages ago. It made me giggle writing it, I hope it did for you.**

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Ava-Marie Castle is four years old, with an inquisitive mind like her Grandpa Rick, or so her Gram tells her all the time. Her bright blue eyes, so much like her mother's, lights up as she tells stories to any of her preschool classmates that are willing to listen.

"Ethan and I wanted to look for the space aliens, but Momma told us it was bedtime. But Pop-pop said when I sleepover this weekend, we can go hunting for aliens." Ava says, her hands flying as she talks animatedly to her group of friends as they draw pictures.

"There is no such things as aliens, Ava." Peter Walker says as he rolls his eyes at Ava's story.

"There is too! My Pop-pop said!" Ava insists, "Ethan said he and Gamma saw them, they even saw ninjas and _bigfoot_. My Gamma fights bad guys all the time."

"Your Gamma can't fight bad guys." Peter says defiantly, his little hands now on his hips, "Grandma's are too old to fight bad guys. My grandma makes me cookies and takes my sister to see the ballerinas."

"Well my Gamma has a gun, and she can shoot you if you say mean things!" Ava spits back stomping her feet to prove her point.

"Ava Castle!" Ms Berry admonishes on hearing Ava's words, "We do not threaten people. Apologize to Peter."

"Ms Berry, I didn't say I'd shoot Peter!" Ava protests, "My Gamma only shoots bad people. Peter is a stupid boy, but he's not a bad guy."

"Ava, you don't need to make up stories to get out of trouble." Ms. Berry says with a sigh, "Now apologize to Peter, don't call him stupid."

"Sorry Peter." Ava grumbles, but then she turns to Ms Berry, her blue eyes wide, "I wasn't makin' up stories, my Gamma _does_ have a gun, she's a cop but she wouldn't put Peter in jail, she'd just say that Peter needs to have better manners."

Ms. Berry bites back a smile at Ava's words and nods her head going along with child's story, "Did your grandma drive a blue police car too?"

Ava shook her head, "No, she's a 'tective she has a different car. She never lets my Pop-pop drive though."

"Your grandpa was a cop too?" Ms Berry asks in amusement, she is fascinated by children's imaginations, but Ava Castle seems to go way beyond her other classmates when it comes to making up stories.

"No, he writes books about my Gamma." Ava says thoughtfully, "But Gamma can't catch bad guys anymore, cause of the babies. Momma says she has _two_ babies in her belly. _That's_ a lot."

Ms. Berry pauses at Ava's words, "Your grandma, is having a baby?"

" _Two_ babies." Ava says enthusiastically as she turns back to her drawing as though the notion is a common thought, "Ethan says he hopes they are both boys cause there are too many girls. He's just jealous he can't get pretty nails with me, Emmie, Momma and Gamma. It's girls only."

"And Ethan is your brother?" Ms. Berry asks perplexed.

"Nope, Ethan's my uncle." Ava says simply.

"Alright Ava, why don't you go back to your drawing." Ms Berry says squeezing Ava's shoulder gently, deciding to put a stop to the stories before they get out of hand.

She bites her lip in thought, wondering if Ava has been through any trauma lately. Ms. Berry only recently started working in the pre-school and she's still learning about all her kids. She knows from the other teachers, that Ava's father isn't around, but from what she's heard, Ava seems to have a more than a few family members that takes care of her, not just her mother. Ms. Berry makes a mental note to discuss this when Ava's mother comes to collect her at the end of the day.

A few hours later, just as the kids are packing up their bags, there is a knock at the door. Ms. Berry looks up to see a heavily pregnant woman, dressed in a simple flowered dress that shows off her prominent stomach, her light brown hair tied in a loose ponytail at her neck. On seeing Ms Berry the woman smiles warmly at her in greeting.

"Hi, I came to pick up Ava Castle?" The woman says, and Ms. Berry smiles knowingly, clearly Ava had been referring to her mother all along, judging by the woman's pregnant stomach.

"Ava! Your Mom's here." Ms. Berry calls out to the four year old, who immediately drops the dolls she's playing with and runs across the room.

On seeing the woman she smiles brightly, as she wraps her arms around the pregnant woman's torso. "Gamma! What are you doing here?"

"I have to pick up Ethan and Emily early from school, so I thought I'd take my favourite girl for ice cream first." Ava's Gamma says brightly as she runs her fingers through Ava's bright red hair.

" _You_ are Ava's Grandma?" Ms. Berry asks incredulously.

The other woman smiles sheepishly, no doubt use to the questioning tone of surprise, "Katherine Castle, my name should be on the list Ava's mother gave to the school."

Ms. Berry nods still slightly in shock, but looks at the roster on her desk nonetheless, and sure enough there is one Katherine Castle, right under Alexis Castle and Richard Castle, filed under names of people that may collect Ava.

"See Ms. Berry, I told you my Gamma had _two_ babies in her tummy!" Ava says excitedly as she pats Kate's stomach gently, she then grabs Kate's hand tugging her towards the door.

"It was nice to meet you Ms. Berry." Kate says gently a smile tugging at the corner of her lips, knowing the other woman is still wrapping her mind around the concept.

"Gamma, can I get chocolate chip chocolate chunk ice cream with chocolate syrup?" Ava asks brightly.

Ms. Berry watches on still in a daze as Kate picks up Ava's small backpack and answers the exuberant child, "How about we just stick to the chocolate chips, your mom would never forgive me if I brought you home with a sugar rush."


End file.
